I’m a big fan of science fiction movies. Some of my favorites were filmed in black and white. For some sci-fi movies, color adds a lot to the story. But for some movies, in my opinion, black and white enhances the feel of mystery and danger. Here are my 10 favorites, listed by year.

1. The Thing from Another World (1951) – Usually just called “The Thing”, this movie established the classic scenario of a group of people in an isolated environment (in this case, at a polar research station) who are menaced by an alien who crash landed. Excellent cinematography, acting and intelligent dialog set this movie apart from other early sci-fi efforts.

2. The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) – A giant hibernating dinosaur is released from polar ice after a nuclear test. It makes its way to New York where it wreaks havoc. Nice Ray Harryhausen stop-action effects when the beast meets its end on a roller coaster. This movie was the direct inspiration for Godzilla.

3. Them! (1954) – The predecessor of all giant bug films has a policeman, a professor, his daughter, and an FBI agent (actor James Arness) discovering the unexpected consequences (giant man-eating ants) of atomic testing in the New Mexico desert. I like the suspense and the fact that the ants aren’t seen until well into the movie. Great, scary scene early in the movie during a sandstorm.

4. Earth vs the Flying Saucers (1956) – Aliens appear without warning and announce that they intend to occupy Earth. In the ensuing encounters, things do not go well for Earth until scientists develop a counter weapon that can defeat the advanced alien technology. Earth prevails.

5. Godzilla (1956) aka “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!” – Although later movies featuring Godzilla became cartoonish, the original 1954 Japanese version and the 1956 Americanized version are deadly serious. An American reporter (actor Raymond Burr) watches the destruction of Tokyo. The early scene on the remote island, when the scientists are hiking up the steep hill and Godzilla first appears, gave me nightmares for years.

6. Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957) – A group of scientists travel to a remote Pacific island to find out what happened to a previous expedition that vanished. Atomic testing is the problem again, producing two giant, super-intelligent telepathic crabs that gain the knowledge of their victims. The crabs are eventually killed. A low-budget film but intelligently executed.

7. Quatermass 2 (1957) aka “Enemy From Space” – Scientist Dr. Quatermass discovers that orbiting aliens have sent small parasitic creatures to an English village. The parasitized villagers take over a nearby industrial complex to make alien food in preparation for a full scale invasion. The aliens are defeated.

8. It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) – A spaceship from Earth lands on Mars where the crew investigate the disappearance of all but one member of a previous expedition. On the return to Earth, they discover that they have a very unfriendly stowaway. The alien creature is eventually suffocated when the crew puts on space suits and opens all the hatches.

9. The Crawling Eye (1958) aka “The Trollenberg Terror” – A mysterious fog envelops a mountain in the Swiss Alps. People start disappearing. It’s an invasion by aliens that look like giant eyeballs with tentacles. The British air force firebombs the aliens using beautiful English Electric Canberra bombers. Mediocre special effects but overall a surprisingly good movie in my opinion.

10. Village of the Damned (1960) – A strange forcefield envelops the small English village of Midwich, and everyone inside is rendered unconscious for four hours, apparently without any effect. Two months later every woman in town is mysteriously pregnant. The children are born and they have mind control and they’re not very nice. In the end the children are defeated.